Date: 28/08/2004
Source: The Presidency
Title: J Zuma: Launch of Expanded Public Works Programme
ADDRESS BY DEPUTY PRESIDENT, JACOB ZUMA, AT THE LAUNCH OF THE EXPANDED PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME AT NOMBIKA HIGH SCHOOL, Ndwedwe, Durban, 28 August 2004
Honourable Premier of KwaZulu- Natal, Mr Sbu Ndebele
Honourable Minister of Public Works, Ms Stella Sigcau
MEC for Public Works in KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Blessed Gwala,
MEC for Transport, Safety and Safety, Mr Bheki Cele
Members of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature,
The District Mayor of Ilembe, Mr Bhekukwenza Shozi
Councillors,
Community of eNdwedwe,
Distinguished Guests,
Thank you for the opportunity for us to join you in this community today, to participate in the launch of the Expanded Public Works Programme for the province of KwaZulu-Natal.
We are delighted to be launching this programme given the manner in which it seeks to intervene in improving the situation of unemployment and unemployability in our country, while also providing much needed infrastructure.
Unemployment and unemployability remain the greatest challenges facing new South Africa. Even before 1994, economy had begun to show signs of strain. Job losses became the order of the day. Since 1994, the government has instituted various programmes and other initiatives to alleviate poverty, create jobs and improve the quality of life of all South Africans.
In February 2003, President Thabo Mbeki announced government's intention to invest more than R100 billion in infrastructure development in the following five years. Part of that money will be used to create massive jobs for the unemployed and poor sectors. The Expanded Public Works Programme was born and listed the following as its core objectives:
* Job Creation
* Skills Development
* Improved Social Services.
The EPWP framework was presented to the 2003 Growth and Development Summit as a government contribution to growth and job creation, and was launched by the President to the nation on 18 May 2004.
Three days later, the President in his state of the nation address called on all provinces to launch their frameworks of the programme by September 2004.
The KwaZulu-Natal Province is the second such province to launch their programme, following the launch of the Northern Cape province yesterday.
Our government has always recognised the complexity of poverty -its root causes, symptoms and ramifications, and has waged a struggle against poverty, apartheid, racism and oppression, which predated 1994.
However, since 1994 we have as a democratic government thrown our whole might behind reversing the effects of colonialism and apartheid. Our interventions, which are in direct response to the nature of the problem, have also been multifaceted.
Social grants, affordable public healthcare, free basic services, free education, systematic tax reduction for lower income groups, tax relief for other income groups, infrastructure development, crime prevention, urban renewal and integrated and sustainable rural development programmes, are some of our interventions to create a better life for all.
Central to our every endeavour as a government, lies the realisation that our people as much as they appreciate what government is doing for them, would also prefer to do things for themselves. They would rather actively assist government as productive partners in nation-building, economic transformation and social development.
That is the philosophy behind the Expanded Public Works Programme that is being launched in KwaZulu-Natal today, to help people in order for them to help themselves and develop their communities.
Apartheid and ensuing international isolation of South Africa prior to 1994 created a false sense of self-sufficiency. Even before the democratic government took over in 1994, cracks began to show in the apartheid walls of delusion as economic activity stagnated and declined. Foreign investment virtually dried up, capital took flight and the job market began to bleed as companies closed and thousands of jobs were shed.
The post-apartheid South Africa, still grappling with the birth pangs of a new order, was immediately exposed to the realities of international competition and globalisation. In a society as divided as South Africa was, this began to highlight the polarisation of the society along the first and second economy alignment where extreme wealth co-existed with abject poverty.
Before I explain in detail what the Expanded Public Works Programme entails, let me first highlight the objectives of the programme.
The successful implementation of the programme, using public sector funding, should in the next five years do the following:
* Create work opportunities for the marginalised,
* Improve the skills base of those unable to actively participate in the growing opportunities brought by a stable and growing economy,
* Ensure that social services including infrastructure development and environmental management are enhanced so as to build a better quality of life for the people, especially those that were denied these = benefits in the past.
In summary, the programme intends to provide much-needed public goods and services whilst simultaneously creating more job opportunities coupled with training.
The national programme was launched to the nation on 18 May 2004 following the elections, to kick start the government's programme of action into the next decade of freedom and democracy. Today sees the second of the eight provincial launches which will be completed by September 2004, making the programme a truly national affair.
The challenge for the provinces is to cascade the programme to their regions including district and local municipalities. We urge the municipalities to identify and execute labour-intensive projects, which will encapsulate the spirit and letter of the Expanded Public Works Programme and fulfil the three objectives mentioned above. National and provincial steering committees have been set up to drive the implementation of the programme. In addition an EPWP Training Committee coordinated by the Department of Labour has been established, and includes relevant Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) in line with the four sectors making up the EPWP.
Government is encouraging the public bodies responsible for the implementation of any other type of infrastructure to explore the use of labour-intensive construction and maintenance methods whenever possible. After a comprehensive consultation process, both within government and with the private sector, a set of tender and design guidelines for labour intensive infrastructure projects was finalised.
The aim of the tender and design guidelines is to provide implementing bodies with the contractual tools that they need to ensure that contractors carry out projects in a manner that is highly labour intensive and cost effective, and to ensure that employment conditions for workers on these projects are protected. The guidelines have been distributed to every relevant department, province and municipality in the country.
The greatest challenge henceforth is to mobilise all municipalities, provincial departments and other public sector bodies to implement the programme.
I would like to use this opportunity to call on all nine provincial administrations to become activists for the public works programme, and to ensure that the provincial governments create as many work opportunities as possible.
This is the only way that the EPWP can become big enough to have the impact on unemployment and training that we are looking for.
Ladies and gentlemen, let me remind you that government has prioritised the role of communication in socialisation and democratisation. In the month of September, senior government leaders including the President and the Deputy President, cabinet ministers, premiers, provincial ministers, mayors and councillors, will once again embark on the Imbizo focus meetings to listen and discuss governance and service delivery with the people.
We urge you to join them in these izimbizo to ensure continued dynamic interaction between government and the people.
Let me congratulate the KwaZulu-Natal province on launching the Expanded Public Works Programme today.
We wish you all the best in the implementation process.
I thank you
Enquiries: Lakela Kaunda
Cell: 082 7822575
Issued by: The Presidency
28 August 2004
Source: The Presidency
Title: J Zuma: Launch of Expanded Public Works Programme
ADDRESS BY DEPUTY PRESIDENT, JACOB ZUMA, AT THE LAUNCH OF THE EXPANDED PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME AT NOMBIKA HIGH SCHOOL, Ndwedwe, Durban, 28 August 2004
Honourable Premier of KwaZulu- Natal, Mr Sbu Ndebele
Honourable Minister of Public Works, Ms Stella Sigcau
MEC for Public Works in KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Blessed Gwala,
MEC for Transport, Safety and Safety, Mr Bheki Cele
Members of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature,
The District Mayor of Ilembe, Mr Bhekukwenza Shozi
Councillors,
Community of eNdwedwe,
Distinguished Guests,
Thank you for the opportunity for us to join you in this community today, to participate in the launch of the Expanded Public Works Programme for the province of KwaZulu-Natal.
We are delighted to be launching this programme given the manner in which it seeks to intervene in improving the situation of unemployment and unemployability in our country, while also providing much needed infrastructure.
Unemployment and unemployability remain the greatest challenges facing new South Africa. Even before 1994, economy had begun to show signs of strain. Job losses became the order of the day. Since 1994, the government has instituted various programmes and other initiatives to alleviate poverty, create jobs and improve the quality of life of all South Africans.
In February 2003, President Thabo Mbeki announced government's intention to invest more than R100 billion in infrastructure development in the following five years. Part of that money will be used to create massive jobs for the unemployed and poor sectors. The Expanded Public Works Programme was born and listed the following as its core objectives:
* Job Creation
* Skills Development
* Improved Social Services.
The EPWP framework was presented to the 2003 Growth and Development Summit as a government contribution to growth and job creation, and was launched by the President to the nation on 18 May 2004.
Three days later, the President in his state of the nation address called on all provinces to launch their frameworks of the programme by September 2004.
The KwaZulu-Natal Province is the second such province to launch their programme, following the launch of the Northern Cape province yesterday.
Our government has always recognised the complexity of poverty -its root causes, symptoms and ramifications, and has waged a struggle against poverty, apartheid, racism and oppression, which predated 1994.
However, since 1994 we have as a democratic government thrown our whole might behind reversing the effects of colonialism and apartheid. Our interventions, which are in direct response to the nature of the problem, have also been multifaceted.
Social grants, affordable public healthcare, free basic services, free education, systematic tax reduction for lower income groups, tax relief for other income groups, infrastructure development, crime prevention, urban renewal and integrated and sustainable rural development programmes, are some of our interventions to create a better life for all.
Central to our every endeavour as a government, lies the realisation that our people as much as they appreciate what government is doing for them, would also prefer to do things for themselves. They would rather actively assist government as productive partners in nation-building, economic transformation and social development.
That is the philosophy behind the Expanded Public Works Programme that is being launched in KwaZulu-Natal today, to help people in order for them to help themselves and develop their communities.
Apartheid and ensuing international isolation of South Africa prior to 1994 created a false sense of self-sufficiency. Even before the democratic government took over in 1994, cracks began to show in the apartheid walls of delusion as economic activity stagnated and declined. Foreign investment virtually dried up, capital took flight and the job market began to bleed as companies closed and thousands of jobs were shed.
The post-apartheid South Africa, still grappling with the birth pangs of a new order, was immediately exposed to the realities of international competition and globalisation. In a society as divided as South Africa was, this began to highlight the polarisation of the society along the first and second economy alignment where extreme wealth co-existed with abject poverty.
Before I explain in detail what the Expanded Public Works Programme entails, let me first highlight the objectives of the programme.
The successful implementation of the programme, using public sector funding, should in the next five years do the following:
* Create work opportunities for the marginalised,
* Improve the skills base of those unable to actively participate in the growing opportunities brought by a stable and growing economy,
* Ensure that social services including infrastructure development and environmental management are enhanced so as to build a better quality of life for the people, especially those that were denied these = benefits in the past.
In summary, the programme intends to provide much-needed public goods and services whilst simultaneously creating more job opportunities coupled with training.
The national programme was launched to the nation on 18 May 2004 following the elections, to kick start the government's programme of action into the next decade of freedom and democracy. Today sees the second of the eight provincial launches which will be completed by September 2004, making the programme a truly national affair.
The challenge for the provinces is to cascade the programme to their regions including district and local municipalities. We urge the municipalities to identify and execute labour-intensive projects, which will encapsulate the spirit and letter of the Expanded Public Works Programme and fulfil the three objectives mentioned above. National and provincial steering committees have been set up to drive the implementation of the programme. In addition an EPWP Training Committee coordinated by the Department of Labour has been established, and includes relevant Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) in line with the four sectors making up the EPWP.
Government is encouraging the public bodies responsible for the implementation of any other type of infrastructure to explore the use of labour-intensive construction and maintenance methods whenever possible. After a comprehensive consultation process, both within government and with the private sector, a set of tender and design guidelines for labour intensive infrastructure projects was finalised.
The aim of the tender and design guidelines is to provide implementing bodies with the contractual tools that they need to ensure that contractors carry out projects in a manner that is highly labour intensive and cost effective, and to ensure that employment conditions for workers on these projects are protected. The guidelines have been distributed to every relevant department, province and municipality in the country.
The greatest challenge henceforth is to mobilise all municipalities, provincial departments and other public sector bodies to implement the programme.
I would like to use this opportunity to call on all nine provincial administrations to become activists for the public works programme, and to ensure that the provincial governments create as many work opportunities as possible.
This is the only way that the EPWP can become big enough to have the impact on unemployment and training that we are looking for.
Ladies and gentlemen, let me remind you that government has prioritised the role of communication in socialisation and democratisation. In the month of September, senior government leaders including the President and the Deputy President, cabinet ministers, premiers, provincial ministers, mayors and councillors, will once again embark on the Imbizo focus meetings to listen and discuss governance and service delivery with the people.
We urge you to join them in these izimbizo to ensure continued dynamic interaction between government and the people.
Let me congratulate the KwaZulu-Natal province on launching the Expanded Public Works Programme today.
We wish you all the best in the implementation process.
I thank you
Enquiries: Lakela Kaunda
Cell: 082 7822575
Issued by: The Presidency
28 August 2004
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